X Factor winners and losers: Where are they now? - ITV News 16 December 2013 at 1:05pm X Factor winners and losers: Where are they now? After Sam Bailey became the 10th winner of the X Factor, we look at how previous winners of the competition have fared in the industry. Despite claiming the coveted title of X Factor winner, not all of the ten named made it big, but some of those who missed out on the top spot have seen real success since their appearances on the reality show, so who were the real winners in the X Factor? Series 1 - 2004 Steve Brookstein was the first winner of the competition in 2004. Credit: PA Wire Steve Brookstein was the first winner of the competition in 2004 and his debut single went straight to number one in the charts. However Brookstein was dropped by his record label just eight months later and now performs aboard P&O cruise ships and in pubs. Series 2 - 2005 Leona Lewis. Credit: PA Wire Leona Lewis has sold over 20 million records worldwide and has been nominated for seven Brit Awards and three time Grammys.

Her first two albums reached number one in the UK charts, with her third reaching number 3. She is still signed to Simon Cowell's Syco label and has just released her fourth album Christmas, With Love which is at number 13 in the UK charts. Series 4 - 2007 Leon Jackson. Credit: PA Wire Scottish-born Jackson beat Welsh singer Rhydian to the title in 2007 but was swiftly dropped by the record company after just one album. Series 5 - 2008 Alexandra Burke. Credit: PA Wire Alexandra Burke first auditioned for the second series of The X Factor in 2005 (which was eventually won by Shayne Ward). She made it through to the final seven in Louis Walsh's 16–24 category, but Louis did not choose her for his final four as he felt that she was too young for the competition. Over the following three years Alexandra worked on her singing before returning to the X Factor. Her version of Leonard Cohen's Halleujah was the Christmas number one of 2008. She is now working on her third album and is still signed to Syco.

The real winners JLS After making it to the final in 2008 JLS lost out to Alexandra Burke, but were signed to Epic Records. As well as winning BRIT Awards for Best British Breakthrough and British Single in 2010 they have won a total of five MOBO Awards. In April it was announced that the band were to split after their fifth album and tour X Factor contestant Joe McElderry. Credit: PA Wire In a similar journey to Alexandra Burke before him Joe McElderry took two runs to make it on the X Factor. He made it to Boot Camp in 2007, but felt he was too young opted to walk away. He returned in 2009 and was mentored by Cheryl Cole and made it to the final beating Olly Murs to the title. His duet with Carrie Underwood was nominated for a Golden Globe after it featured on the film The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader. He parted ways with Syco in 2011. He continues to write and release music and toured the UK in the summer and is planning a 50 date UK tour in 2014.

The real winners Olly Murs Olly made it to the final but lost the title to Joe McElderry in 2009, however he signed a joint deal with Syco and Epic Records. He has released three albums, the first reached number two, while his latest two both got the top spot. Olly Murs performing on stage during the 2013 Capital FM Jingle Bell Ball at the O2 Arena. Credit: Doug Peters/Doug Peters/EMPICS Entertainment Stacey Solomon Just behind Olly Murs in third place Stacey Solomon has also managed to carve out a showbiz career. Stacey was crowned queen of the jungle the year after her X Factor appearance and has been a presenter and talk show guest since her rise to fame. Stacey is currently appearing in panto in London and is due to release her debut album next year. Stacey Solomon. Matt Cardle won the series in 2010. Credit: PA Wire Matt Cardle beat off competition from Rebecca Ferguson and One Direction. While Cardle's career has stalled, One Direction have gone on to achieve global success with selling millions of records.

The real winners Rebecca Ferguson Rebecca Ferguson signed a record deal after coming second, her debut album Heaven went platinum in the UK, Ireland and the US. Rebecca has just released her latest album Freedom. Rebecca Ferguson. Credit: Ian West/PA Wire Cher Lloyd Cher Lloyd came fourth in 2010, having already auditioned for the X Factor singing ballads, when she returned she had an edgier look and sound. Since the X Factor Cher has been concentrating her career in the US and is working on her second album. Cher Lloyd performing live at day 2 of the iHeart Radio Music Festival in Las Vegas Credit: Tammie Arroyo/AFF/EMPICS Entertainment Credit: PA Wire Little Mix became the first ever band to win the show Their winner's single Cannonball became the fastest selling single of 2011. In June 2013 the band's album, DNA, became the highest debut ever for a British female group's first album, entering at Number 4 and eclipsing a sixteen-year-old record previously held by the Spice Girls Spice album. In 2014 they embark on their biggest UK tour, with dates including London's O2 Arena.

The real winners One Direction One of the biggest success stories of the X Factor are boy band One Direction . Despite finishing third in 2010 they were signed to Syco and have broken records for sales and have a huge and loyal following on social media and have even had their own movie. Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, Liam Payne and Harry Styles perfom in New York. Credit: Dennis Van Tine/Geisler-Fotopres/DPA/Press Association Images Series 9 - 2012 James Arthur. Credit: PA Wire Last month James Arthur was diagnosed with "acute exhaustion" and cancelled all engagements while he recovers - just days after being embroiled in a homophobia row. The singer ended up apologising for his language after he used the word "queer" in rap which drew criticism from figures such as Matt Lucas. He was also involved in a row with fellow X Factor contestant Lucy Spraggan after she posted text messages online which he had sent to her. His self-titled first album was released on 1st November.

The real winner Rylan Clark Despite placing fifth place Rylan has become a successful television personality, appearing on Celebrity Big Brother, Celebrity Juice and This Morning. Rylan with his trademark smile. Credit: Sophie Duval/EMPICS Entertainment Sam Bailey became the 10th winner of the competition. Credit: X Factor Prison officer Sam Bailey triumphed over teenager Nicholas McDonald to be named the 2013 X Factor winner. Bailey, a 36-year-old mother of two, has won a recording contract and will support American pop superstar Beyonce on the UK leg of her Mrs Carter world tour in February. The clear favourite before the announcement, Bailey said in front of 10,000 fans at tonight's live final at Wembley Arena that she did not know what to say after being told she had received over a million votes. After the next few incredible days are over, I will be going home and booking a holiday to France. I promised my daughter I would. She was really worried about me entering this competition - how she wouldn’t see me much and it has been hard being away from the kids. They’ve been so good and patient over the whole process, I want to treat them.

– Sam Bailey Applications for 2014 have already opened. Last updated Mon 16 Dec 2013 X Factor Past Winners X Factor Winners There have been nine winners so far who have held the prestigious title of X Factor Winner, each battling through the arduous audition process, the boot camp, the judges' houses and the live audition process. To beat all-comers and get through the various hurdles is no mean feat, any contestant who achieves this does not only rely on the support of the Judges but more significantly the support of the British TV viewers whose teleporting is key in them succeeding. With that sort of national support, each winner has been ensured some level of success by securing a recording contract as a prize, but that contract has also heaped fame and fortune on Simon Cowell, the owner of Syco the production company that rewards the triumphant singers.

Whilst winning this show is a huge achievement and a real mark of popular support, it has not always lead to a career of any longevity as this list indicates, although for some their career has burgeoned internationally X Factor Odds Top Group Odds Top Over Odds Next Elimination Odds Series 1 Steve Brookstein - Judge Simon Cowell - Category Over 25s The glory of being the first X Factor winner was huge back in 2004 and Simon Cowell was beaming from ear to ear that it was one of his acts that won the inaugural UK show. However having achieved a number one single after the show, indicating the viewers support of Brookstein Sony BMG withdrew his contract after eight months. He went on to write and release his own single under an independent label but it failed to achieve a top 75 position in the UK charts. Subsequently he has sung on cruise ships and done some writing for his wife Eileen Hunter but has otherwise disappeared from the music scene Series 2 Shayne Ward - Judge Louis Walsh - Category Boys Shayne Ward has provided the only win for Judge Louis Walsh.

The X Factor single following his win shot to the number one slot where it stayed for four weeks and became the fourth fastest selling single ever at a time when Elton John's iconic Candle In The Wind was in pole position. Releasing three albums, Shayne Ward, Breathless and Obsession, it soon became clear that Cowell was concentrating on the careers of Leona Lewis and Susan Boyle and in 2011 Syco and Ward parted company. Series 3 Leona Lewis - Judge Simon Cowell - Category Girls The third and probably the most successful of all the UK X Factor winners to date is Leona Lewis . This was the second time Cowell was winning judge and he could not have been happier. The shy, modest and humble Lewis took the nation and Cowell by storm bourne out by her multi platinum record sales and three Grammy nominations. Her three albums so far have been, Spirit (2007), Echo(2009) and Glassheart(2012), for which Lewis is credited with much of the writing.

Series 4 Leon Jackson - Judge Danni Minogue - Category Boys Leona Lewis was always going to be a hard act to follow in 2007 and his success was by comparison mediocre his debut single When You Believe was poorly received and when his third singles only achieved a meagre 94 in the charts, Sony released the performer from his contract after only one studio album, Right Now (2008). Jackson having taught himself to play piano and acoustic guitar, is now engaged writing his own material and has had some success in the smaller arenas. Series 5 Alexandra Burke - Judge Cheryl Cole - Category Girls The fifth winner of The X Factor was a triumph for Girls Aloud singer Cheryl Cole in her debut as an X Factor judge. Having reached the Judges' Houses part of the audition process the year before, Alexandra Burke came back with renewed determination and was not only rewarded with an X Factor win but is signed to four record labels, Epic,RCA,Subliminal and Simon Cowell's Syco.The winning X Factor single Hallelujah broke all records selling 105,000 copies in one day. She has won multiple awards including three Brits,two MOBOs,and an MTV Europe Music Award.

She has become a clothes horse that the paparazzi love and yet has only released two studio albums, Overcome92009) and Heartbreak On Hold(2012). Series 6 Joe McElderry - Judge Cheryl Cole - Category Boys Flush from her success with Alexandra Burke Cheryl Cole was exhuberant to continue her winning ways with fellow jordy Joe McElderr y. Joe Mc Elderry's success coincided with a campaign to reduce Cowell's influence on the music industry and saw his Number one christmas position, which had become guaranteed , being taken by protest group Rage Against The Machine. Whilst his pop career never really soared , his appearance on and win of Reality TV show From Popstar To Operastar saw renewed interst him as a crossover act. Appearing in a series of West end shows it looks likely that his career is now in this direction.

Series 7 Matt Cardle - Judge Danni Minogue - Category Boy Matt Cardle won the X Factor in 2010 under the supervision of Danni Minogue, and given that the X Factor single had been beaten to the No1 Christmas spot the year before it was a mark of his popularity that his single did go to the top of the charts. He was known for playing the guitar and writing his own material. He parted company with Syco in May 2012 but released an album in October on the So What Recordings label. This album, The Fire reached No. 8 in the album charts and received healthy criticism from the music press. Series 8 Little Mix - Judge Tulisa Contostavlos - Category Groups Tulisa Contostavlos joined the judging panel in 2011, meeting with some adverse criticism in the red tops. Few were convinced that the n-dubz singer had what it took to be a mentor or a critic. he proved them all wrong by not only wooing the public but taking Little Mix through across the winning line, a feat never achieved before by a group on the X Factor.

The Girls were put together after missing out on their solo auditions, were originally called Rhythmix and made it to No 3 in the charts with their debut album DNA. Series 9 James Arthur - Judge Nicole Scherzinger - Category Boys James Arthur did not start the series as a favourite but gained support as it became clear that he had an originl sound and look that was not representative of other X Factor winners. As the popularity of the X Factor seemed to be diminishing with claims that the acts were overly manufactured and predictable his triumph on the show not only led to a number one Christmas single, but with 1.3 million sales, became the best selling X Factor single of all time Series 10 Sam Bailey - Judge Sharon Osbourne - Category Overs Sam Bailey was one of the most popular winners ever on the X Factor, picking up more than a million votes on the night of the final. With an extraordinary, powerful voice, Sam's fanbase grew week on week as she became more and more confident on the X Factor stage. She was not out of the top three on the bookmakers leaderboard and looked by Week 8, the competition looked like a one horse race.

Her personality was also key to her success, a down to earth prison officer who was able to reach out to both working Mums and the girls next door who had a dream. Series 11 Ben Haenow - Judge Simon Cowell - Category Overs Ben Haenow won the 11th series of X Factor and with his single 'Somethign I Need' he became 2014's christmas number one. Ben never ended up in the bottom two from the viewers votes and also came top in the votes week 4 onwards. Series 12 Louisa Johnson - Judge Rita Ora - Category Girls Louisa Johnson won the 12th series of X Factor and was deemed by Simon Cowel as the best contestant ever. Her first single was "Forever Young" but unfortunately the song only made it to number 12 in the charts. Making it the worst performing X Factor single of all time. Series 13 Matt Terrry - Judge Nicole Scherzinger - Category Boys Matt Terry won the 13th series of X Factor in 2016 and was the favourite from the first live show.

His first single is "When Christmas Comes Around" and is now one of the favourites to be Christmas Number One . Remember Steve Brookstein? | Television & radio | The Guardian Share on Messenger Close Steve Brookstein. Ring any bells? No, me neither. Four years ago, this man picked up 5.5 million votes from the British public - five times as many as Boris Johnson in the London mayoral election. Yet these days Brookstein is most likely to be remembered as a pub-quiz answer. Who was the first winner of The X Factor ? Who was the only X Factor winner not to score a Christmas No1? Who was The X Factor winner dropped by his record label twelve weeks after his debut album reached No1? Brookstein was a thirtysomething crooner, a cheeky south London chappie and housewives' favourite, who sang schmaltzy love songs. Today he has just turned 40 and is much the same: still singing, still grinning, only with a rather depleted army of fans. Since his £1m record deal abruptly ended, he has graced pubs, Butlins and the Bilbao-to-Portsmouth ferry.

For some critical observers, including X Factor judge Louis Walsh, Brookstein was only ever a pub singer who got lucky. So does he feel fortunate to have won The X Factor? He laughs. "Imagine a guy runs you over and breaks both your legs. You end up going to hospital and you fall in love with the nurse and then, for the rest of your life, that guy is saying, 'Hello mate, aren't you pleased I ran you over?' How much thanks do I have to give The X Factor for breaking my legs?" Brookstein attracted 800,000 more votes than this year's much-feted winner, Alexandra Burke, who will almost certainly be No1 this Christmas with her cover of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah, already the fastest-selling download ever across Europe. Burke is tipped for a career to match 2006 winner Leona Lewis, who signed a £5m, five-album record deal. Brookstein's experience, however, is a cautionary tale about fame and the music business. Back in December 2004, his victory was an antidote to the teen pop stars churned out by talent TV shows.

Here was a nice bloke with a soulful voice who had been knocking around in the industry for years without bagging a record deal. He had gigged while working as an estate agent in south London and eventually turned to producing and writing songs for several solo artists. They never quite made it either. So he tried out for The X Factor to get "a bit of recognition as a vocalist". Even though he triumphed, Walsh still called him a pub singer. "I resented the fact I was just perceived as a pub singer," says Brookstein. "The judges don't really care what's good. It's all about personality - if you're marketable, if you're easy to work with. They don't want somebody who is going to have an opinion." Brookstein had opinions. The X Factor's svengali, Simon Cowell, wanted to market him as a smart, old-fashioned crooner but Brookstein says he was still asked to do "naff" promotional stunts such as going to a competition winner's place of work and singing to them. "Simon Cowell put me into suits. He said, 'We want you to look and dress and act like a star.' I took that on board.

When he asked me to do stuff that wasn't befitting of a star, I thought, no, you wouldn't have Michael McDonald, or any of my heroes, going to Mavis on checkout five and singing." So he refused. He had a jazz singer girlfriend, Eileen, and it was decided their engagement would be a good publicity wheeze. "They wanted us to fake getting engaged when we weren't ready to make that commitment," he says. "It was a set-up photoshoot. They told us it was just going to be taken from outside the jewellers but when we got there they had champagne and engagement rings out." This was "embarrassing", says Brookstein, although there was a happy ending: they married and now live near Mitcham Common in south London with their young son, Hamish. Although his debut single, a cover of Phil Collins' Against All Odds, was kept off the 2004 Christmas No1 by Band Aid 20, it rose to the top in the new year. His debut album of covers also went to No1 in May, selling 200,000 copies, but Brookstein felt it was underpromoted.

"I was always branded the housewives' favourite - cheeky smile, romantic songs - so you would've thought that my album would come out on Mother's Day, the biggest-selling point of the year. G4 [who finished second to Brookstein] released their album for Mother's Day and sold a quarter of a million records in a week. My album came out for Father's Day. Why? Thanks, guys. Are you trying to screw me over? I said: 'You're trying to ruin my career.' And I'm branded as bitter. Well, no shit, Sherlock! It did take a long time to be philosophical, and not be angry about it." Twelve weeks after his album topped the chart, the deal was over and he was dropped - "custard pied" by Cowell, as he puts it. Brookstein wanted to record a second album of songs he had written himself; he says Cowell simply believed he could not sell enough records. The X Factor judge would probably feel vindicated by Brookstein's follow-up album of self-penned songs, which he released on a tiny label. It didn't exactly trouble the charts, peaking at No165. "That was a mistake.

I was too angry about what happened and I didn't trust anyone," he says now. He "made a bit of money" from The X Factor, and it opened doors, he concedes. He starred in Our House, the musical based on Madness songs, which toured the country last year, and hopes to do more musical theatre. He is also playing some credible gigs - the latest at the 606 jazz club in Chelsea next Monday. He wonders what might have happened if he hadn't won. "I'd just supported Dionne Warwick at the Fairfield Halls," he lowers his voice reverently, "and I was asked to support Lionel Richie at Wembley. I never got to do it because I chose The X Factor instead. So I don't know whether things would've turned out better but I'm in a happy place. I may not have had the recognised success of other winners but in terms of success as a human I feel blessed that I've kept my integrity." Brookstein is clearly conflicted by being flattened by this great pop-factory juggernaut that thundered through his life in less than a year. He still watches it "so I can keep my opinion valid", he reasons.

"I actually quite like The X Factor." He just doesn't rate the judges, Cheryl Cole apart. "When I see Simon talk absolute nonsense I can't understand why the public value his opinion." Perhaps Brookstein should become a judge? He giggles. "The show is great and I would love to beat Simon but there is absolutely no way he would want me within 100 miles of him." Is The X Factor a negative influence on the music business? "No, it is more having a negative effect on Christmas. Simon Cowell bought the rights to Christmas. From now on it's called X-mas." Brookstein knew one of this year's contestants, Laura White - who should have been in the final, he says - and, despite his dislike of the judges, he advised her to go on the show. And yet he still feels that this televised quest for fame, and the recognition lavished on the victors, belittles all the ordinary "talented musicians" who sing in clubs and pubs. "Girls Aloud - they are lovely-looking ladies but, please. That to me is one of reasons why the country is going down the swanny." Because of The X Factor? Because of Girls Aloud?

"It's their fault we're in a recession!" He's joking. And then he's not, when he talks about how talent shows make children want a "career" in being famous. "We're just dumbing down the nation. Simplifying everything. You've got to make it look easy," he says. "There is no appeal to being famous. I hate it. Luckily, now, I don't get it as much." He still gets recognised a bit, however, particularly if he's "wearing the old white shirt and suit". He was recently stopped in traffic when a woman clambered out of her car wanting his autograph. "She said, 'I love your second album!' I said, 'Oh, you're the one who bought it'" · Jane McDonald (Singer) - Pics, Videos, Dating, & News Jane McDonald Female Born Apr 4, 1963 Jane McDonald is a British singer, actress and media personality and broadcaster, who first became famous following her appearance on the BBC docusoap The Cruise.

Known for her strong Yorkshire accent, she has since co-presented a number of daytime shows, including Loose Women which she presented from 2004, taking a break in 2011 to focus on her music.… Read More related links News + Updates Browse recent news and stories about Jane McDonald. 'x Factor': Prison Officer Sam Bailey Is 'professional Singer' Who Has Already Auditioned For 'x Factor' And 'britain's Got Talent' The Huffington Post - Sep 03, 2013 '\'X Factor\' hopeful Sam Bailey was the first of this year\'s singing hopefuls to really wow the judges and viewers alike with her rendition of Beyonce\'s \'Listen\' - but it\'s emerged that might be because she\'s had plenty of practice - as a professional singer. Despite the prison officer giving the impression that she\'d never auditioned for anything before, the 35-year-old mum of two - nicknamed \'Screwbo\' - has reportedly sung with the likes of Beverley Knight, <mark>Jane McDonald</m...

Bucks Free Press - Jun 26, 2013 'ITV has commissioned a new makeover show - presented by <mark>Jane McDonald</mark>.' Beyond The Veil With A Star Medium The Gazette - Apr 17, 2012 ' Thereâs another chance to see why Steve Holbrook is regarded by many as Britainâs most gifted clairaudient medium this Thursday, 7 for 7.30pm in the Savoy Hotel on North Promenade. His 2012 nationwide tour will take him to towns and cities across the UK and after a successful tour of the USA and the Caribbean, Steve is looking forward to being back on home soil â and his latest Blackpool visit. Steve describes himself as a telephone exchange between this world and the next, and whilst man... Singer Jane Mc Donald Asks Leeds Runners To Brave Cold Yorkshire Evening Post - Feb 04, 2012 ' Runners will don their scarves and gloves along with their trainers for a new fundraising event at Harewood House. ' Learn about the memorable moments in the evolution of Jane McDonald.

CHILDHOOD 1963 Birth Born on April 4, 1963. THIRTIES 1998 35 Years Old Her wedding to Henrik Brixen in 1998 was televised by the BBC and watched by a large audience, although the couple have since divorced. … Read More After signing a major-label recording contract, McDonald began to carve out a mainstream showbiz career, first as a guest presenter on BBC's National Lottery and subsequently with her debut album Jane McDonald, which spent three weeks at Number 1 in the UK Albums Chart. Read Less 2000 37 Years Old In 2000, McDonald released her autobiography Follow Your Dreams published by Harper Collins. FORTIES 2006 43 Years Old In November 2006 she began a UK tour, which featured a number of special guests including the massed voices of Sing Live UK. … Read More The tour ended on 2 November 2006.

Read Less 2007 44 Years Old In 2007, McDonald commissioned Yorkshire fashion designer and haute couture dressmaker, Kaye Heeley, of Angel Couture, to help with the Jane McDonald Collection. Show Less McDonald presented the television programme, Star for a Night, which helped launch the singer Joss Stone and also showed us the first glimpse of 2008's X Factor winner Alexandra Burke. … Read More Since 2004, McDonald has been a regular presenter on the ITV daytime television programme Loose Women, appearing on the show three times a week. It was confirmed on 16 July 2010 that McDonald would depart Loose Women in the summer, taking at least a year's break to concentrate on her music career and to tour Australia and New Zealand. She left at the end of the series on 6 August 2010 and returned on 16 January 2012. She quit the series in January 2014 to focus on her music career. She made her last appearance on 13 December 2013.

Read Less She was a guest on Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway on 22 March 2008, with Christopher Biggins in the game Grab the Ads playing Tarzan and Jane. On 20 July 2008, she featured on The Sunday Night Project. She also appeared on the celebrity edition of Are You Smarter Than A 10 Year Old? in September 2008 where she won Â£50,000 for the Wakefield Hospice. … Read More Since October 2010, McDonald has been a regular contributor to The Alan Titchmarsh Show, airing on ITV. Since 10 January 2011, McDonald has narrated all three series of the Channel 4 reality show Celebrity 5 Go to. Read Less McDonald toured in 2008 beginning in Blackpool on 1 August of that year to showcase new songs from her Number 7 (UK Albums chart) album, Jane.

… Read More This album was her first using her own record label.<br /><br /> On 9 May 2010, McDonald embarked on a 'one night only' performance at the world-famous London Palladium, which was to be filmed for DVD. Among the public in the audience were Gavin and Stacey star Joanna Page, Emmerdale's James Thornton, plus Loose Women stars Kate Thornton, Lynda Bellingham, Lesley Garrett and Andrea McLean. Also there on the night were Bananarama, three of the Four Poofs and a Piano from Friday Night with Jonathan Ross and stars of Through the Keyhole, Jonathan Morris and Roland Rivron. McDonald's family were also there to support her including her mother Jean, and her fiancÃ© Eddie Rothe. Rothe had been a member of the '60s group the Searchers from 1996â2010, he retired to spend time with her. He, also in the '70s, was a member of Liquid Gold and appeared Les Gray's band Mud.

Read Less Show Less On 22 March 2015, it was announced that McDonald had been personally selected by Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber to star as the iconic lead character of Grizabella in Blackpool's 2015 Summer Revival of the smash hit west end musical Cats. … Read More Despite being an older performer, McDonald still managed to outperform younger West End veterans and secure the role after impressing Lord Lloyd Webber and several other producers with an incredible audition. Read Less The show opened at Blackpool Winter Gardens on 9 July 2015, and McDonald's portrayal of Grizabella has received Positive and 5 star reviews from the media and the general public. … Read More On 22 February 2012, McDonald hosted a Black Tie charity gala event at the Theatre Royal in Wakefield. The event was a sell out with fans coming from as far as Dunfermline and Aberdeen to the north and as far as Cornwall, Bristol, Bournemouth and Essex in the south.

The evening was a huge success and raised Â£33,800 for the Wakefield Hospice.<br /><br /> On 13 November 2011, McDonald co-hosted the Paul O'Grady Show on BBC Radio 2 for a live "Music Juke Box" as part of 2011's Children In Need charity event. Read Less She returned on 12 June 2015 for one episode. … Read More In August 2013, McDonald presented the ITV daytime series Star Treatment. The show, which was made by Shiver Productions, aired for 15 episodes and hasn't returned to TV since.<br /><br /> McDonald appeared on a celebrity special of Ready Steady Cook. She and her fellow chef won over the audience with their dish of 'half baked carp' with a cheese sauce and claimed the cash prize. She donated all the money to Wakefield Hospice, a local charity of her home town.<br /><br /> She has also appeared on the reality shows, Have I Been Here Before, All Star Family Fortunes and Drop the Celebrity.<br /><br /> McDonald appeared in a documentary called Return to...

The Cruise, which celebrated the tenth anniversary of The Cruise finding out how much McDonald enjoyed her fame and success. This was shown over several nights of the week beginning 11 August 2008 on BBC Two. Read Less X Factor winner Sam Bailey's pregnancy sparks backlash from fans who claim she's 'ruined her career' | The Independent X Factor winner Sam Bailey's pregnancy sparks backlash from fans who claim she's 'ruined her career' The singer came under fire from followers who said her expectancy would scupper her career chances Thursday 6 March 2014 12:02 BST Click to follow The Independent Online X-factor winner Sam Bailey's debut single 'Skyscraper' is this year's Christmas number one Rex Features Sam Bailey has come under fire from fans on Twitter who claim she has ruined her career after she announced that she is expecting her third child in the run-up to her UK tour and the release of her debut album.

The X Factor winner revealed the news via the social media site this morning, posting an ultrasound image from her first, 10-week scan alongside the caption: "Hey everyone…… Meet peanut!" She also detailed, in an interview with The Sun, exactly how she discovered that she was expecting – in a toilet in Asda. "I went and did it in the toilet while [husband Craig, 40] was getting all the food," the 36-year-old former prison guard perhaps overshared on the subject of taking the test. "Obviously I'm getting a bit bigger. I didn't want people to think I'd just got fat. That would make me feel insecure again." She went on to admit that she was worried that the news might anger her management, who had been working on the promotion for her debut record, The Power of Love, on 24 March. "When I got into the car I was really upset because I thought I'd let everyone at my management and the record label down," she explained. X Factor winners: Where are they now? X Factor winners: Where are they now?

1/10 2013: Sam Bailey The clear winner from the outset, Sam Bailey went on to beat teen singers Luke Friend and Nicholas McDonald. Bailey's cover of Demi Lovato's 'Skyscraper' went straight to number one on 22 December 2013, becoming the first X Factor winner in three years to gain the Christmas number one spot. Her debut album is due to be released on 24 March. She is also currently pregnant with her third child. Rex Features 2/10 2012: James Arthur He secured the biggest-selling X Factor winner's song ever with 'Impossible', but last year's victor James Arthur has been at the centre of controversy recently. Arthur got into a Twitter spat with fellow former contestant Lucy Spraggan when he used a homophobic lyric in a rap. The singer apologised on-air for 'abusing [his] position as an X Factor winner' after a performance on the results show a few weeks ago. Arthur's new single 'Recovery' is currently number 19 in the Official UK Singles Chart. 3/10 2011: Little Mix Girl band Little Mix are one of The X Factor's success stories.

Formerly known as Rhythmix, the group released an autobiography in August 2012 and their debut album came out that November, reaching number three. Little Mix's Perrie Edwards is engaged to One Direction's Zayn Malik which, you know, helps with the the whole fame thing. The band toured earlier this year and have enjoyed US success too. Their latest album Salute was released on 15 November. 4/10 2010: Matt Cardle Singer-songwriter Matt Cardle performed 'Unfaithful' with Rihanna during the 2010 X Factor finals. He famously criticised Syco for being 'very pop' when he, apparently, wasn't. Shortly afterwards, he left Cowell's label. Cardle returned to the charts when his first album 'The Fire' made number eight and was well-received by critics. He recorded a duet with Spice Girl Melanie C, 'Loving You', in the summer and will be touring new album 'Porcelain' in April 2014.

5/10 2009: Joe McElderry Rage Against The Machine's 'Killing In The Name' famously beat Joe McElderry to the Christmas number one in 2009, following an internet campaign to do battle with Cowell's chart machine. McElderry's luck failed to pick up and he soon found himself winning yet another talent show, Pop Star to Opera Star. Recently, he's enjoyed some success in the classical world and appeared in several West End shows. He is signed with Universal Music's Decca label. 6/10 2008: Alexandra Burke Alexandra Burke's cover of Leonard Cohen's 'Hallelujah' sold more than a million copies in the UK, a success she followed with five top ten singles and a hit album. Burke has been a brand ambassador for a women's deodorant and signed a modelling contract in 2010. She joined The X Factor as a guest judge during the final of the eight series. The 'Bad Boys' singer has another album out next year but it will be released on RCA records after her recent split from Simon Cowell's label.

7/10 2007: Leon Jackson 'When You Believe' became the fastest-selling single of 2007 when winner Leon Jackson released it before Christmas, but he was dropped in 2009 following poor sales. His third single 'Creative' only reached number 94 in the charts and half his tour dates were cancelled. At present, Jackson is reportedly writing a second album that he will release independently. 8/10 2006: Leona Lewis She's The X Factor's darling and one of the only acts still with Simon Cowell's label. Leona Lewis enjoyed huge international success after winning the 2006 show and releasing her first single 'A Moment Like This'. Recently, she has struggled, with sales of her latest album 'Glassheart' down steeply from those of her debut in 2007. 9/10 2005: Shayne Ward After his victory on the second show, Ward achieved the fourth fastest-selling UK single ever with 'That's My Goal'. Several other hits and three albums followed and at one stage, he was reportedly considered to replace Jason Orange in Take That.

Ward was dropped six years later to make room for other upcoming stars on Syco's label and has since turned his hand to performing in London musical Rock of Ages with Justin Lee Collins. The Mancunian singer appeared in Dancing on Ice in January 2013 but was eliminated in the fifth round. 10/10 2004: Steve Brookstein The first winner of The X Factor, Steve Brookstein scored a number one single with 'Against All Odds' but was dumped by Sony BMG just eight months afterwards for being a one-hit wonder. Since his brief success evaporated, Brookstein has performed on cruise ships and was spotted in 2010 performing in a small Cornish pub for £2.50 a ticket. Brookstein no longer appears in publicity for The X Factor and as a result, he has repeatedly hit out at both the show and Simon Cowell. He is, however, still singing, and has a new album 'Soul Journey' out in February. "But they were really good about it.

I was going to go on tour solo at the end of October - but I have managed to move it until January [2015]." Her mother, Jackie, 62, added to the Mail Online: "Sam was a bit concerned. She's just won the X Factor, doing all these things to promote herself and then all of a sudden she drops the bombshell she's pregnant. "But as it turns out everybody's so pleased. Everybody within her management are so supportive. It's one of the most natural things in the world and they're really, really delighted. We all are." A spokesperson from Syco – the Simon Cowell-controlled record label Bailey is signed to – reiterated Bailey's previous statement, telling The Independent: "The label are absolutely thrilled for Sam and 100% behind her." However, their statement has done little to silence Bailey’s fans on Twitter, who have been vocal about the damage they think her decision to have a third child will have on her career:

Question: Which singer first came to public notice when she won 'The X Factor' in 2008?
Answer: ALEXANDRA BURKE